Another Killer Approaches: Tenko's Decision
The Start Fuyuko ran through the forest in her fox form and crossed into the village faster than as a human. She quickly crossed the bridge and entered the village. The villagers were curious, staring at this strange creature who had just arrived. She was hungry. She started to make her move but something rang in her head, as if a warning. In the shadows, a second figure was pursuing her, hidden in the shadows of the building. It crouched, glowing hands placed on the walls of clay brick. The entire body was still, locked in concern for a hiding place as well as concentration of the seal they were placing. Occasionally, it would peek over to see the status of what was happening. Nothing had... for the moment. But time was crucial, if she was to preserve Fuyuko's life. Fuyuko was fighting a raging internal battle. Go with her instincts and hunt elsewhere, or remind these villagers who she was and kill a few of them. She stood there, growling quietly. The villagers who had been watching her lost interest after a few moments and resumed their activities. The shadow couldn't help but frown slightly as it gazed upon her before turning to the scroll once again. It was as if drawing a complex symbol on a piece of paper; with a skilled artist such as itself, it only took little time, but a pain to perfect. But it was rather experienced in such an art, having completed it two times to other locations. If she was lucky, she could get it done before the Kitsune made her decision. She shook her head. She had always gone with her instincts before, and going against them time could prove disastrous. She turned and took off, running out of the village. Her only choice now was to resume human form. Thinking would be clearer then. She stopped near a large oak tree and glowed light blue again. She resumed her human form and panted. That was an unsuccessful hunt. Disturbance! Immediately, the shadow peeked once more, just in time to see Fuyuko's fleeting figure leave the area. She sighed in relief, putting the finishing touches on the seal before she sat against the wall. She raised a finger up to poke her own earlobe once - or rather, her earpiece radio. "Tenko-sama." "Status?" "Fuyuko abandoned her hunt, and the seal's in place. We're all good to go!" "Good. Head back to headquarters." Yumi smiled as she got up, taking off in the opposite direction of Fuyuko in order to meet up with her boss once more. Fuyuko sighed. She was so disturbed she did not notice the scent of Yumi in the area. She sighed. Best go back to the base. She'll have to make due with deer as her prey later on. The longer she was out, the more furious Tenko was likely to be anyway. She started heading back towards the base. If she knew Tenko he was still mad that she had failed to kill a simple human. The sound of another voice accompanied her - one of a young male, naturally positive, and one that she had been so familiar with. "Ah, Fuyuko-san! I see blood remains clean from your hands!" Fuyuko scowled. "Yeah lucky me." She said sarcastically. "And all you're doing is reminding me how hungry I am." "Sorry, Fuyuko-san. I was about to convince you otherwise from killing those people, anyway." As he spoke, his figure appeared more and more to her, seemingly in a burst of flickers before retaining a normal humanoid shape, clad in a blue samurai-like uniform. He looked over at her with a sidelong stare. "Tenko-sama wouldn't be very happy if he found you were killing before the seal was placed." He stated. "That'd be causing even more of a hinder on the jutsu." "It'd serve him right." She murmured under her breath. "Furthermore, if his words were true about you... then you'd be dead once the seal activated." Fuyuko's eyes widened. "I see." Then something clicked in her head. "Forgive me if I don't stick around, but I left Gohan in charge of the girl. I should be getting back now." Okita nodded in positive acknowledgement. "Understood. I was heading towards the base, as well after fetching you." He replied, tilting an eyebrow in confusion. "Though, is it a problem that Gohan's watching her?" "Not that I know of." She replied. "You sounded like there was." "I see." She tilted her head, shifting through memories. "I'm not sure why. Hunger must be getting to me." Okita closed his eyes in thought. "If you say so..." He said, slightly hesitant to say the words. "I'll see you two at the base then." She said coolly and was enveloped by a wind. When the wind stopped she had vanished. This action caused Okita to smile a bit, before he took off in full speed to burst through the trees. Return Fuyuko reappeared in a whirl of wind back at the base. She sighed. Tenko was due to yell at her anytime now. It was true that his voice came to her ears. "I see you've returned, Fuyuko. Tell me, did you have fun?" But it wasn't in the form of a yell - it was calm, cool, and collected. If he had any anger, he hid it well. Fuyuko shook her head. "No. I didn't manage to eat at all." Tenko came from the shadows, arms folded across his chest. "And your hunt... was going to be the villagers at Kirigakure?" He questioned, a disdainful look in his eyes. "I was in a bad mood." She replied simply. "Besides that was my old hunting ground a good hundred years ago. Old habits die hard." "Your old habits are starting to break me, Fuyuko." Tenko began to pace around her unconsciously, eyes on her the whole time. But he knew she wasn't one to be intimidated so easily. "First you spare something that you could've easily torn apart. Then you consider causing even more of a disruption than that brat did. Has your might deteriorated so easily...?" "No." She replied, her tone sharp. "Besides, what the boy has done does not matter, as your seal will kill him when it activates. So why complain?" "If he is able to escape the vicinity before the seal consumes the entire area, he shall survive. And based on the power he had that you explained to me, he has the ability to do so. What you did was play Risk with my plan and lose. I can't even predict what will happen now..." Fuyuko was getting irritated. "Tenko, the last thing I want is a lecture on how I messed up. Especially not when I am hungry." "Too bad. Should've thought of that before you did." Tenko replied calmly, changing his direction and taking slow steps towards her. "Now, are you with me, or against me?" "If was against you, would I even be here?" She asked. "Your actions speak otherwise. You'd better hope that your actions didn't fu--... foil up my plan completely. Otherwise, I'll be glad to finish what I started back in our last fight." "You think that-!" "Listen to you two." A young man's cheerful voice broke the argument. "Going on like an old married couple." The figure of Gohan emerged from the shadows, his trademark grin on his face. "...Shiromura." Tenko murmured in acknowledgement, turning his gaze towards his subordinate. "I have good news." He said, turning to Fuyuko. "I've drained enough energy from the girl." He said, his grin broadening. "Fuyu, I don't know how you gathered as much as you did. It was hell." "And her status?" "Alive" He replied. "Just unconscious." This prompted one of Tenko's thoughtful expressions. "Now to decide on what to do with her...." He mused, stepping away from the two. "I could be nice and leave her to be found by her family. Or, I could kill her right here and now and spare myself another enemy to contend with later." "I vouch for giving her back." Gohan said immediately. "She may be powerful, but it'll take her awhile to recover her strength and it'll be years before she harnesses all of it. No need to kill her yet." "...and, Fuyuko? What would you say?" "I can't say I really care what happens to here to be honest." Fuyuko said, shaking one of her sleeves. "All right, then." Tenko turned his full attention to Gohan. "Shiromura, be so kind as to fetch Kori here. I'm going to see to the Tenno girl." He ordered. Gohan looked wary for a moment, remembering his promise to Michiyo. The last thing he needed was Tenko in the same room as Akane alone. But he complied and went off to get Kori. "Feel free to hunt again any time you wish." Tenko murmured over his shoulder as he stepped away from his female Kitsune counterpart. "I won't stop you... if it's not in the target villages." Once again, he disappeared into the shadows.